Miscellaneous notes on European and African Cheiracanthium species (Araneae: Miturgidae)

Abstract

The African species Cheiracanthium furculatum Karsch, 1879 was recognised as being introduced to Germany and is re-described and illustrated in the present study. C. tenuipes Roewer, 1961 is recognised as a junior synonym of C. africanum Lessert, 1921 (new synonymy); both subspecies of C. strasseni Strand, 1915, namely C. strasseni strasseni Strand, 1915 and C. strasseni aharonii Strand, 1915, are recognised as junior synonyms of C. mildei L. Koch, 1864 (new synonymies). Photographic images of the copulatory organs of the types of C. cretense Roewer, 1928, recently synonymised with C. mildei, are provided and discussed in the course of intraspecific variation in C. mildei. The female holotype of C. rehobothense Strand, 1915 is re-described and illustrated. Relations of C. rehobothense to other Cheiracanthium species are discussed.

Keywords

• Africa
• copulatory organs
• Europe
• intraspecific variation
• introduction
• new synonymies
• taxonomy